Ashes and Rebirth
by sbyamibakura
Summary: Kensei/Hiro, set postS2, Him and Hiro fire and water two different elements which were opposites in the beginning but now harmonized to a synchronized beat which set them apart from the rest of the world.


Ashes and Rebirth

By: PhoenixJustice

Disclaimer: Heroes is owned by Tim Kring, I only own this story and make no profit from this, other than my own pleasure. Lots of it, XD

Warning: T for slash, kissies, etc.

Feedback/Archive: Feedback is good. Email me to archive, I am very agreeable.

Pairing: Kensei/Hiro

Setting: A little after the end of S2

Summary: Him and Hiro; fire and water; two different elements which were opposites in the beginning but now harmonized to a synchronized beat which set them apart from the rest of the world.

He had told himself that he didn't care about the past; that the events which unfolded and showed him who the true Takezo Kensei was didn't bother him.

He was such a liar. He had done so many things for his carp, hoping against hope that the time-traveler would see how much he truly cared for him. Because no matter the truth of his feelings, the words would just not come out, it had been all for Hiro, not for anyone else, not even himself.

He couldn't say the words that he longed to say to his carp; but he would not, could not, let him down. To tarnish the name of Kensei which Hiro had all but worshipped as a child and not even know if Hiro could even feel a small part of what he felt for him…there was no way he could do that.

The words did not come then, and because of that, he lost Hiro and gained a grudge which lasted for centuries; had longed for his carp as much as he had hated him. Had _made _himself hate him; because he could not let himself forget the fact that Hiro had chosen Yaeko, his supposed 'princess', over him.

Not that he would ever truly forget anything even if he tried. His immortal shell ensured that fact.

The years passed and he looked no different than many, many years before he ever met Nakamura, Hiro. His body stayed the same, but his mind felt weary as the years passed. There were very few respites in those years, never truly feeling as he did in Japan all that time ago, when he had been around a time-traveling carp who did all he could to make him a hero, when he had truly been that hero all along, and stole Takezo Kensei-Adam Monroe's heart along with his 'princess' whom he never truly wanted.

The first time he felt like he had in those days with Hiro was when he had seen Hiro again.

Hiro hadn't seen him of course, or at least didn't know him yet though technically it had been years since he had seen him. Hiro was just a boy, but seeing him still struck a chord within him which made his heart hurt worse than if he had been struck.

Running the Company had been growing tedious, so he had left the management of it to his protégé's. There had been something which had seemed to be missing, something which was going on behind the scenes without his knowledge and he didn't know what.

That had been what he was thinking about as he was walking down one of the non-descript hallways, and turns a corner seeing Kaito talking to Angela in quiet tones with a young boy who had to be Hiro at his side.

He was thunderstruck and could nothing but stare for several moments, before he realizes he was staring blankly and starts to turn the corner, when Hiro turns and notices him, Adam Monroe in this time now, and starts to walk towards him, unnoticed by his father and Angela Petrelli.

He gulps against the feelings warring within himself, his mind trying to reconcile the young man that he had met centuries ago, his carp whom he had fallen in love with, with this child who was looking at him with inquisitive eyes, a comic book in one hand and pushing his glasses up with the other.

"Konnichi-wa." said Young!Hiro.

"Hello yourself, Hiro-chan," he said in Japanese. The Japanese endearment came easier to him since Hiro was but a child, making him able to talk easier. "Do you really think your tou-san would appreciate you talking to strangers?"

Hiro shakes his head, glancing over at his father who was still in a heated, but quiet, conversation.

Adam kneels down and looks Hiro in the eyes. He bows his head slightly, showing a sign of respect to the young child.

"I'll remedy that. My name is Adam Monroe. You may not remember my name but you'll always remember me…one way or the other."

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The smell of burnt wood envelops his nostrils and he thought that it smelled of freedom. He stares at the burning coffin in front of him, watches as it turns to ashes and gets blown away, before turning to look at the young man next to him.

"Do you feel better now?" asked Hiro.

Hiro had been silent the entire time from the time that Kensei, once Kensei then Adam now Kensei once more, had struck a match and set the coffin on fire. He had not burned it because he had been afraid that he would be stuck back in there again, but to show that he could remember the past, but he could most past it.

From the fire and ashes comes rebirth, he was the phoenix, immortal, rising up out of the ashes of death over and over to become something more.

Him and Hiro; fire and water; two different elements which were opposites in the beginning but now harmonized to a synchronized beat which set them apart from the rest of the world.

A weight in him, which had seemed to be there for longer than he knew, lifted as the ashes of the past blew away, leaving only the good part of his past.

"Much, carp. Thank you for standing by me, even after everything that has—"

Hiro shakes his head. "How could I not stand at your side? And for you also to forgive me for what I have done for you. There need be no forgiveness now."

He takes his precious carp's face in his hands, looking down at the face which had seared his heart and filled him with more emotion than he ever thought he could feel, made him do things which he had never thought he could do—good and bad alike—had finally made him the hero that he had tried to make him be so long ago.

This man meant everything to him and he would not let anything get in his way with him any longer, not a 'princess', not viruses or misplaced emotions, not even death.

"I love you, Hiro." If there had ever been a truer statement from his mouth, he didn't know what it was. Hiro looked gratified and a little bit shy, not looking Kensei completely in the eyes, a small blush creeping its way up his cheeks, making him look even cuter.

"I love you too, Kensei," whispered Hiro, his voice faint against the blowing wind.

The ashes of the past blow around them and as he kisses his carp, he felt the future coming their way and for once did not feel burdened by it or his feelings.

He was reborn.

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A/N: Woohoo! dances This turned out better than I thought, as I had no particular idea in mind. I like the metaphor-y references and all of that and I finally figured out how to post on Livejournal correctly! dances some more

Kensei/Hiro is such 3!!!!

I keep finding myself getting more into Kensei's mind than Hiro's, which is a little unexpected for me, but I'm happy!

Favorite line said by Kensei in the show; "First you show me that I can be harmed by no weapon and then you cut me deeper than any blade possibly could." (OMG!)

Enough babbling by me…

Read and Review!

REVIEW DAMN YOU! D xD XD

--PhoenixJustice


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